COVID-19 Impact on Soccer: Borussia Dortmund & Bayern Munich Train With Space
Is this what soccer training in America could look like?
The Coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic has changed so many aspects of our life that we are still uncertain of what the new normal looks like but a glimpse across the Atlantic on to the fields of Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich gives new meaning on the term social distancing.
Top ranking Bayern Munich & BVB are in a tight race in the Bundesliga.
FC Bayern Game in Munich Germany – Photo Credit- Diane Scavuzzo
As the Bundesliga considers returning to play in May, professional soccer teams in Germany are beginning to prepare for the competitions but now they are observing new safety protocols.
The new buzz words are Social Distancing and how it is practiced at soccer training.
After weeks of not practicing, Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich players hit the field recently with new directives to keep their distances. According to the Wall Street Journal‘s article, Bagged Lunches, Long Passes and No Showers: This German Soccer Team Is the Future of U.S. Sports, midfielder Axel Witsel said, “We started training in twos, then fours, then sixes, and now eight—always respecting the government’s rules.”
How Do Soccer Players Train 6 Feet Apart?
It is easy — this is a time for creativity. Beyond the challenges of getting players back in the proper condition to play 90 minutes of the intense competition after the forced hiatus of soccer and its moratorium on training, coaches have to be imaginative — designing sessions that respect the Coronavirus COVID-19 safety guidelines.
Regardless, players are happy to be back on the field, even if it is different.
